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You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2014/mar/20/millers-point-sydney-housing
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| Version 0 | Version 1 |
|---|---|
| Sydney must not become an enclave for the rich | |
| (about 2 hours later) | |
| The O’Farrell government has decided to rob from the poor to give | The O’Farrell government has decided to rob from the poor to give |
| to the rich. | to the rich. |
| In a city with a growing problem of housing affordability, Wednesday’s | In a city with a growing problem of housing affordability, Wednesday’s |
| decision to sell off 293 homes in Millers Point is a heavy blow – and not just | decision to sell off 293 homes in Millers Point is a heavy blow – and not just |
| to the 400 plus residents who will be evicted. | to the 400 plus residents who will be evicted. |
| One of the blocks of apartments being | One of the blocks of apartments being |
| sold was built in the 1980s. It no more needs to be sold for high-income | sold was built in the 1980s. It no more needs to be sold for high-income |
| housing than any of the other apartment blocks in metropolitan Sydney where | housing than any of the other apartment blocks in metropolitan Sydney where |
| people in social housing homes live. | people in social housing homes live. |
| All social housing tenants in inner-city properties are now put on notice. If the value of your home goes up, the | All social housing tenants in inner-city properties are now put on notice. If the value of your home goes up, the |
| government is going to put you out of your home when | government is going to put you out of your home when |
| there’s a dollar to be made. | there’s a dollar to be made. |
| This is tantamount to social cleansing. | This is tantamount to social cleansing. |
| The Millers Point community survived the plague, the depression | The Millers Point community survived the plague, the depression |
| and war. It is shameful that it is government that will destroy this proud and | and war. It is shameful that it is government that will destroy this proud and |
| strong neighbourhood. | strong neighbourhood. |
| For most of the 20th century, state governments and their | For most of the 20th century, state governments and their |
| bureaucracies have purposely neglected the maintenance of these historic homes | bureaucracies have purposely neglected the maintenance of these historic homes |
| – proving to be irresponsible and uncaring landlords. | – proving to be irresponsible and uncaring landlords. |
| The former NSW Labor government took that neglect further and | The former NSW Labor government took that neglect further and |
| began using 99-year leases to put social housing in private hands. | began using 99-year leases to put social housing in private hands. |
| Now the current government says the neglect is so bad, and the | Now the current government says the neglect is so bad, and the |
| expense to maintain homes in Millers Point is so great, that it’s time to sell. | expense to maintain homes in Millers Point is so great, that it’s time to sell. |
| In the property development business this tactic is known as “demolition by neglect”, and it’s shocking to see successive governments resort | In the property development business this tactic is known as “demolition by neglect”, and it’s shocking to see successive governments resort |
| to these tactics. | to these tactics. |
| Sixty properties were left to deteriorate without tenants in | Sixty properties were left to deteriorate without tenants in |
| Millers Point, despite a desperate need for housing – there are 55,000 people | Millers Point, despite a desperate need for housing – there are 55,000 people |
| on the waiting list for social housing in NSW. | on the waiting list for social housing in NSW. |
| Evicting 400 people with no clear plan to create new homes for | Evicting 400 people with no clear plan to create new homes for |
| them just adds strain to an already overburdened system. | them just adds strain to an already overburdened system. |
| The fate of Millers Point should give all Sydneysiders pause for | The fate of Millers Point should give all Sydneysiders pause for |
| thought. Do we want to live in a city that cannot make space for people on low | thought. Do we want to live in a city that cannot make space for people on low |
| incomes? | incomes? |
| We need more social and affordable | We need more social and affordable |
| housing in the inner-city, not less, or Sydney’s famous egalitarianism will be | housing in the inner-city, not less, or Sydney’s famous egalitarianism will be |
| destroyed. The inner-city will become an enclave for the wealthy. | destroyed. The inner-city will become an enclave for the wealthy. |
| New models are needed to preserve and | New models are needed to preserve and |
| increase social and affordable housing. In the UK, housing estates have been successfully | increase social and affordable housing. In the UK, housing estates have been successfully |
| redeveloped using a mix of social, affordable and private housing, private | redeveloped using a mix of social, affordable and private housing, private |
| housing providing cross-subsidies for the social and affordable housing. | housing providing cross-subsidies for the social and affordable housing. |
| Affordable | Affordable |
| housing schemes in Greater London deliver up to 50% new dwellings, | housing schemes in Greater London deliver up to 50% new dwellings, |
| whereas urban renewal schemes in inner Sydney rarely achieve even three per | whereas urban renewal schemes in inner Sydney rarely achieve even three per |
| cent. | cent. |
| It is vital the government retain social housing in the inner | It is vital the government retain social housing in the inner |
| city, particularly in places like Millers Point, where there are established, | city, particularly in places like Millers Point, where there are established, |
| supportive and well-serviced communities. | supportive and well-serviced communities. |
| A city that turns into nothing more than an enclave for the | A city that turns into nothing more than an enclave for the |
| wealthiest people might seem rich in dollars, but it would be poor in every | wealthiest people might seem rich in dollars, but it would be poor in every |
| other way. | other way. |